Heat insulation.



C. J. COLEMAN.

HEAT INSULATION.

APPLICATION FILED ooT.1z, 1307.

Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

c. J. COLEMAN.

HEAT INSULATION.

APrLloATIoN FILED ooT.12, 1907.

946,772. Patented Jan, 18,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

@j/(j, @MMM dit ofcy.

C. J. COLEMAN.

HEAT INSULATION.

APPLICATION PIL-Im ooT. 1z, 1907.

cnvnn J. connu, or Nrw Yonx, lt'. r.

HEAT. IISULLTION.

Indication et Letters latent.

Application led October 18, 1907. Serial No. 397,071.

Patented J an.. 18, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLYDE'J. COLEMAN, a citizen of the United States,vIeidin Vin the boroughv of Manhattan, city of glew York, in the countyof New York and State of New York, have invented'a certain new' anduseful Improvement in Heat Insulation, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had thenein to the accompanyinidrawings,forming part thereof.

y invention relates generally' to heat insulation and relatesparticularl to heat insulating`| walls of substantially r dimensionssuch'. as in cold` storage bui ings, refri ratorcars and householdrefrigerators an the like.

The objects ofV m invention are eiliciency, economy and Simp icity, andmy invention also has other objects and advantages which will appearfrom the following description.

My invention employs an assemblage of vacuum inclosing bodies as aprincipal .part of the heat insulating construction.

The high efficiency of a vacuum as a heat insulator has been long known,but heretofore no practical embodiment of the same has been made in heatinsulating walls of any considerable size adapted to the uses abovenoted. v f

My invention is directed to the production of vacua-inclosingheat-insulating walls of an desired dimensions. ,4

'lo these ends my invention includes an assemblage of vacuum inclosingbodies adjacently arranged so as to form a continuous heat barrier.

My invention also includes a particular conformation of the vacuuminclosing bodies and an overlappin arrangement of the saine so as tosecure t e maximum practicable length of path through the wall along ad-'acent portions lof t ie vacuum inclosing dies. i

My invention also includes, in combination, low heat conductivecushioning gaskets interposed between adjacent vacuum inclosin bodies.

y invention also includes several details of construction and otheradvantageous features which will hereinafter appear.

I will now describe my invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawings and will thereafter point out my inventionin Figure 1 is atransverse section of 'a portion of a heat-insulating wall embodying myto form the ,heat barrier.

sins

invention. Fig. 2is a .detail view showing in transverse section one ofthe U -shaped vacuum inclong tubes or units seen in Fig. 1. Fi 3 is anelevation of one ofthe vacuum inc osing bodies or tubes with p01'- tionsbroken away. Fig, 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modificationof my invention. Fig, 5 is an elevation, with portions broken away, -ofone of thevacuum inclosing bodies shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectionalelevation, with portions broken out, of a vhousehold refrigeratorembodying the form of my invention shown inv Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Fig. 7 isa view similar to Figs. 1 and 4 but showing another modification of myinvention. Fig. .8 is a face view of the wall seen in Fig. 7, partly insection and with the front plate removed. Fig.,9 is a transverse sectionof a 'portion of a wall embodying yet another modification of myinvention. Fig. 10 is a. face view or front elevation of the wallconstruction seen in Fig. 9, with the front plate removed. Fig. 11 is atransverse section on an enlarged scale, of

one of the vacuum inclosing umts shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Fi 12 1s areversed or back view of Aone o the vacuum inclosing units shown inFigs. 9, 10 and 11. Fig. 13 is a view Similar to F ig. 11 of a furthermodified construction of vacuum inclosing units.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6 ofthe drawings elongated vacuum/inolong bodies o r vacuum tubes 1 areprovided, -such tubes being composed of vitreous low heat conductivematerial such as glass, and are formed in one piece or integral andarehermetically sealed or closed at the ends as indicated in Fig. 3 at thebottom. The vacuum inclosing tubes l are adjaoently assembled in a walstructure to produce a continuous heat barrier, etiveness of which isincreased by the shape or conformation of the vacuum inclosngtub 1 andby the manner of their arrangement or in which they are assembled Theheat nsuliing wallshown in Fig. 1 may be considered as identical with oras a portion of one of the walls of the refrigerator instructionillustrated in Fig. 6- In this wall construction outer wall portions orouter plates 2i and inner wall port-ions or inner plates A3 are rovided,therev beingv an w between e lates 2 and, but s portion of the ieiace 5een the plates 2 and 3 is occup by the heat barrier of my y toward theinner 'side of the wall.

invention which is shown as arranged adjacent to the outer plate 2, thevacuum inclosing tubes 1 being cushioned from the plate 2 by a sheet 4of low heat conductive materlal.

The vacuum inclosing tubes 1 are provided with pressure resisting shellsand are transversely U-shaped or `Ushaped in cross section, and the Ulegs of each tube. extend substantially parallel to eachother for anappreciable distance as clearly shown'k in Figs. 1 and 2. In actualpractice the vacuum inclosing tubes"1arey of about the size or imensionsin cross section shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, and the smallsize together with the curved shape or U'shapc enables the shell oftheftube 1 to withstand or successfully resist lthe outer atmosphericpressure caused by the inclosed vacuum space. Thetransversely U-shapedYvacuum tubes 1 are arranged in'two adjacent parallel layers, the tubesof` one layer breaking joints with the tubes of the other layer. Thetubes of the "first layer or outer layer arearranged or assembled sidebv side adjacent one to another and with the U legs all extendingin thesame direction and eXtendrIixilg e vacuum inclosing tubes of the secondor inner layer are arrangedv or assembled in like manner but with the Ulegs extending in the opposite direction ortoward the outer side of thewall. The U legs of each of the layers extend between and interlock withthe U legs of the adjacent layer, a. U. leg of two of the tubes 1 in onelayer being received'between the U legs of one of the tubes 1 in theother layer ineach instance.v Therefore all ofthe U legs in both layerslie parallel with' each other in a direction transverse tov oralongplanes perpendicular to the wall, and also the U legs of the two layerslie successively adjacent in such manner that two U legs ofonel layeralternate with two U legs of the other layer in a plane par-l allelwith'the wall. TheU-shaped vacuumy inclosing tubes thus overlap one withtwo others in a plane parallel with the wall and also in planesperpendicular tothe' wall. Although the vacuum inclosing tubes-l areparticularly and specifically described kas 'transversely *U-shaped,with perfect .pro-

f priety and `correctness such tubes may-'be of a third'vacuum tube.

broadly designated asvgrooved or as provided with grooves, because theopen side of the U constitutes a groove, and in the construction of heatbarrier shown portions of two adjacent vacuum tubes enter the groove Asheet 5 of low heat conductive material is placed between the twolayers. The sheet 5 extends continuously from groove to grooveI aroundinside of the U of each tube of the two layers, f

Low heat conductive gaskets 6 are interposed between adjacent tubes 1 ofeach layer and lie between the adjacent outer sides of second, toprovide an effective seal between the tubes to prevent the passage ofair; and third, to provide additional heat-insulation to prevent thetransfer of heat from tube to .tube by conduction. It isevident thatthepacking-or gaskets 5 and 6 shouldbe water proof, and also that ltheyshould be yieldable at the time the wall is put together at least. Thegaskets 5 and .6 may be composed of waterproof paper, and ifdesired theymaybe coated with shellac or other adherent so as to cement all of thetubes togethery into a substantiallyintegral structure. The gaskets 6are short enough as shown so as not to makecontactiwith the sheet 5, forpreventing the conduction ofv heat directly from the one to the other. yl

Heat cannot passfby conduction or convection through the .vacua of thetubes 1, and'for heat to pass through the wall between the tubes byconduction along the walls thereof or along the interposed packing itmust follow a very long and tortuous non-continuous `path through lowheat conductive materials, such low conducting path being of muchgreater lengththan the thickness of the heat-insulating wall. Heattransference by radiation across the vacua will be practicallynegligible, but means are providedto revent it. To this end thevacuuminclosln'g tubes 1 Vare silvered on the inside; or they maybecoated with white enamel or made of whit-e opaque glass.

' The yvacuum inclosing tubes 1 may be as long as the refrigeratorishighor wide, as shown at the right and at theJ top of Fig. 6; or theymay be as long as some divisional portion of the refrigerator, asshownat the eft and bottom of Fig.-6; o r ifthe dimensions of therefrigerator are large oriif for other reasons vfound desirable thetubes 1 may be made in any'snitable lengths and placed in the wall sothat the tubes of one layer overlap the tubes of another layer in anendwise or longitudinal direction. The

l interlocking U-shaped tubes 'will then overlap each other in twodirectionsparallel with the wall (transversely and longitudinally)and-'also in a direction perpendicular to the t wall (due .to the factof the interlocking of the U.-shaped tubes). This latter construcl tionof heat barrier is illustrated in the back wall of the refrigeratorshown in Fig. 6.

This construction would more often be employed in the walls of coldstorage buildings and the' like. In this construction sealing andcushioning strips 17 are placed between adjacent ends of the vacuuminclosing tubes.

In the modified form ofv my invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 two shapesor forms fof vacuum inclosing bodies or vacuum tubes are employed andare disposed laterally alternately to form a heat barrier. Largerelongated vacuum inclosing bodies or tubes 7 are provided havingopposite grooves and smaller vacuum inclosing tubes 8 of oval or.elliptical shape and adapted to fit into the grooves of adjacent tubes7, so as to provide a long and tortuous path through the wall along thematerial of the tubes. The joints between the tubes are sealed and thetubes cushioned from each other by interposed gaskets 9 of yielding lowheat conductive material. Two adjacent larger tubes 7 are shown assubstantially surrounding a smaller tube 8 with portions of one groovedtube 7 lying adjacent to portions of another grooved tube 7 at oppositesides of a smaller oval tube 8, thereby providing a longer path betweenthe tubes through the low heat eon ductive material of the tubes andgaskets. The principle of operation is the same as in the constructiondescribed above.

The modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8 comprises cylindrical pipes ortubes 10 in-y closing vacua and arranged in two layers, the pipes of onelayer laterally overlapping or breaking joints with those of the otherlayer. By the lateral overlapping a longer path is provided through thewall between the cylinders. Also owing to the fact that each cylinder inone layer enters partly between two cylinders in the other layer, thecylinders to some extent overlap each other in a direction perpendicularto the wall. Also the cylinders of the different layers overla eachother in a lengthwise or longitudina direction as indicated in Fig. 8and substantially in the same manner as the tubes 1 (Fig. 6) overlaplongitudinally,with the exception that in the construction illustratedin Fig. 8 the cylinders 10 in each la er are also shown as breakingjoints one with another longitudinally. The vacuum inclosing cylinders10 are sealed together and cushioned one from another b interposedgaskets 11 and 12 of yielding ow heat conductive material. The gaskets11 lie between adjacent cylinders in the first or outer layer and areprolonged inwardly as shown so as to lie also between the layers orbetween the cylinders belonging to different layers, and the gaskets 12lie between adjacent cylinders in the second or inner layer. Sealing andcushioning pads or washers 13 are interposed between the ends oflongitudinally adjacent cylinders in each layer.

In the further modification shown in Fi 9, 10, 11 and 12 substantiallyrectangulsr vacuum inclosing bodies or units 14 are shown as employed.These bodies 14 are laid u with gaskets 15 and 16 of waterproof Ilowheat conductive material inter` posed between adjacent bodies. In theconstruction shown in Fig. 11 the shell of the vacuum inclosing unit isthick enough to withstand the atmospheric airpressure on the outsidethereof, but, for the sake of lightness, the shell may be made thinnerand :support for the sides provided as shown in It is obvious thatvarious modifications may be made in the constructions' shown and aboveparticularly described within the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A heat barrier comprising a vacuum inclosing body provided with a.groove, and a low heat conductive body adapted to enter the groove.

2. A heat barrier comprising a vacuum inclosin body provided with agroove, and a secon vacuum inclosing body adapted to enter the groove inthe first body.

3. A hea-t barrier comprising a vacuum inclosing body provided with aGroove, a second vacuum inclosing body adapted to enter the roove in thefirst body, and a low heat con uctive gasket in the groove between thetwo bodies.

4. A heat insulating wall comprising an assemblage of adjacent vacuuminclosing bodies, each such body being rovided with a groove in whichportions o two other of the vacuum inclosing bodies are adapted toenter. 4

5. A heat insulating wall comprising an assemblage of adjacent vacuuminclosing bodies, each such body being provided with a groove in whichportions of a plurality of the other vacuum inclosing bodies are adaptedto enter.

6. A heat insulating wall comprising an assemblage of adjacent vacuuminclosing bodies, each such body being rovided with a groove in whichportions o two other of the vacuum inclosing bodies are adapted toenter, a low heat conductive gasket in each groove, and low heatconductive gaskets between the portions of the bodies entering thegroove.

7. A heat insulating wall comprising an assemblage of adjacent vacuuminclosing bodies, each such body being rovided with a groove in whichportions o two other of the vacuum inclosing bodies are adapted to yenter, a continuous sheet of low heat conductive material in the groovesand extending from groove to groove, and low heat conductive gasketsbetween the portions of the bodies enterin the grooves.

8. A heat insu ating wall comprising a layer of adjacent vacuuminclosing bodies, and a second laver of adjacent vacuum inclosing bodiesadjacent to the first layer, the bodies of the second layer breakingjoints with the bodies of the first layer.

9. A heat insulating wall comprisin a layer of adjacent vacuum inclosingbo'ies, a second layer of adjacent vacuum inclosing bodies adjacent tothe first layer, the bodies of the second layer overlappi the bodies ofthe first layer in a' plane par el with the wall and also in planessubstantially perpendicular to the wall, a low heat conductive sheetinterposed between the layers, and low heat conductive askets interposedbetween the bodies in t 1ev layers.` j

10. A heat insulating wall com )rising an assemblage of vacuum inclosingodies a1;- ranged to form a plurality of adlarcnt layers, the bodies ofadjacent layers overlapping one with another in a plane .parallel withthe wall and also in planes substantiall perpendicular to the wall, valow heat con uctive sheet interposed between the laycrs, and low heatconductive gaskets interposed between the bodies in the layers.

1 1. A heat barrier. comprising transversely U-sha d vacuum inclosingtubes adjacently assembled and alternately -oppositely arranged andinterlocking one with another.

12.. A heat barrier comprising U-shaped vacuum inclo'sing bodiesadjacently assembled a'n'd alternately oppositely arranged andinterlocking one with another.

13. A` unit for heatinsulating construction comprising.- a substantiallyU-shaped vacuum inclosing body having. the legs 0f the U extendingvsubstantially parallel Vvt0 eachother for an appreciable distance;

14. A heat insulating wall comprising a layerof adjacent U-shapedvacuum4 incloslng bodies assembled withv the U legs all extend ingtoward one side of the wall ,land a, second layer of like bodiesadjacent to the lirst layer and assembled wlth the U legs of the secondlayer all extending toward the first layer and toward the other side ofthe Wall, the U legs of each layer extendingv between the U legs of theadjacent la er. v

15. A heat insulating wal comprising. a. layer of adjacent U-shap'edvacuumv inclosmg bodies assembled with the U legs a l extend! ing towardone side of the wall, an a Secund layer of like bodies adjacent to thefirst layer and' assembled with the U legs of the second layer allextending toward the first layer and toward the other side of the wall,the U legs of each layer extending between the U legs of thev adjacentlayer, all of the U le in boih layers being arranged substantiallyparallel one with another.

16. A heat insulating Wall comprising a layer of adjacent U-shapedvacuum incloSm bodies assembled with the U legs all exten ing toward oneside of the Wall,^a Second layer of like bodies adjacent to the' vfirstlayer. and assembled with the U legs of the second layer all extendingtoward the. lrst layer and toward the other side oit the wall, the Ulegs of each layer extendin between the lU legs of the adjacent lay-er,a ow heat conn f 1s between the layers..

asuma and toward the ot er side of the wallj'the U legs of each layerextending between the U legs of the adjacent layer, all of the U legsinboth layers being arranged Substantially parallel one with another, acontinuous sheet oflow heat conductive` material interposed between thelayers, and low heat conductive gaskets interposed between the bodies inthe liers and arranged so as not to touch the e eet which is between.the layers. y

18. A unit for heat insulating. construye'-` tion comprising. atransverse y. U-shaped vacuum` incosing tube having the legs of theUrexten ing substantially each other for an appreciable 19. A heat insuating wall comprising transversely U-Sha ,A vacuum inclqsin tubesadjacently assembled in substantie parallelism with the plane of thewall, l

20.- A heat insulating wall com rising. transversely U-shitpd vacuum 'nlosin' tubes adjacently assembled in su stantia parallelism ene withanother.

21. A heat insulating wall compris@ vacuum inclosing tubes adjacentlassembled insubstantia'l parallelism with tiie plane` of. the wall andarran ed to. form a, luralit of adjacent layers su stantially para lelwith the ane of the wall and. with. the tubes in one ayer. breakingjoins 'with the tubesl in an adjacent 'layer and ow heat conductiveaskets interposed between the layers and etween thetubes n the layers.

22. A heat insu ating wall comprisin a layer of adjacent vacuuminclosing bo les, a. secon layer o ad'acent vacuum lnclosing bodiesadjacent to. t e first layer, the bodies of the second la er breakingjoints with the bodies, of the rst layer, a low heat-conductive-gasketinterposed between the layers and low heat-conductive gaskets interbetween the bodies in the layers an arranged so. as not to touch thegasket which istance.

In testimon whereof I aiiix my signature in presence o twewitnesses.

GLY-DE J. COLEMAN.

Witnesses; j

WM. ASHLEY. KELLY, BERNARD wmz.

Cparallel with.

